Apple Pie Cheesecake

This fall I decided to join a local CSA.  It was such a great decision because it was surprisingly affordable and my husband and I are now eating healthier than either of us have in a long time.  The only down side to it is that sometimes we are inundated with a particular food, and of course with it being fall, we have had apples coming out of our ears.  

While trying to come up with new ways to use the apples I kept dreaming of an apple pie/cheesecake hybrid.  I didn't want a cheesecake with some apples in it or and apple pie with cheesecake mixed in, but something simpler: a layer or crust, a layer of cheesecake, a layer of apple pie, and maybe a crumb topping.  Would you believe there was no such thing on the web?  I searched through pages and pages of google search results and couldn't find anything like what I was after!  I knew I was just going to have to make one myself, but I had no idea that it was going to turn out this yummy on the first try.  My family actually fought over the last piece!

Christmas Coal, Day 7

Coal is not usually something kids look forward to on Christmas, but what kid wouldn't like to find rice crispy treat coal in their stocking on Christmas morning?  Just add a little black coloring to your marshmallow mixture and voila!  And surprise surprise, it's another pinterest recipe! 

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
10.5 ounce bag mini marshmallows
1/8 tsp. black icing
4 cups rice cereal (regular or cocoa)

In a large pot melt butter and add marshmallows. Stir until melted, add black color and mix in well. Add rice cereal and stir until blended. Drop by small spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Be sure they are in odd shapes. Cool.

Note - If you want a true black color like in the picture you need to use either black icing or food coloring paste, the liquid food coloring is not dark enough for this,

Happy Baking and Merry Christmas!

Mexican Ribbon Cookies, Day 6

Ok, I am taking a break from Pinterest recipes for a while.  Today's entry for the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies blog series is a Mexican-inspired twist to a ribbon cookie recipe.  It's not as pretty to look at as the original because both layers are chocolate, but it's very tasty because who doesn't love chocolate?!

So go ahead and check out my recipe for Mexican Ribbon Cookies, and if you're just joining the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies party you need to click that link to see the rest of the yummy recipes!

Happy Baking and Merry Christmas!

Scandinavian Almond Bars, Day 5

Today's recipe is yet another one I got from Pinterest.  The original source is this food.com recipe.  Can you tell I love Pinterest??

This recipe is really awesome not just because I am Scandinavian, but because it makes a TON of really delicious cookies.  If you love almonds and cookies that aren't super sweet than this is a recipe for you!

Candy Cane Blossoms, Day 4

Another delicious Pinterest find, today's Christmas Cookie comes from fellow food blogger Baked Perfection.  These cookies are as yummy as they are cute!  Like yesterday's Reindeer Noses I think these would be easily adaptable to lots of other seasons and holidays.  And I wish my stepson had been around because I really think he would have had fun helping me bake these - my hands were covered in colored sugar by the time I was done and what little boy doesn't love to make a mess?!

Reindeer Noses, Day 3

While not technically cookies, Reindeer Noses are still hand-help Christmas desserts so I decided to sneak them into my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies list.  They are incredibly easy to make and can be adapted to pretty much any holiday just by changing the color M&Ms that you use.  I think Easter Bunny noses with pastel pink M&Ms would be adorable!

I found this idea a few weeks ago here on Pinterest, one of my many current obsessions these days.  BTW, that link goes to my own personal Pinterest account so if you're in the mood for some awesome new recipes or crafts check it out.

Grandma's Honey Cookies, Day 2

Growing up, my grandmother's honey cookies were a big Christmas tradition.  They always seemed extra special because they need to cure for about 2 weeks after baking, so there's a high level of anticipation involved.  It takes two weeks because after baking the cookies are literally as hard as a rock.  If you bit one you'd probably break a tooth.  But through the magic of time and the moisture from a few slices of bread, after two weeks the cookies are softened and ready to frost.  And you will find that the wait was most definitely worth it.

Intrigued?  Here's the link to my grandma's honey cookie recipe.  You've got just enough time left to make these cookies and still be able to leave some out for Santa, so Happy Baking and Merry Christmas!

Sour Cream Cut-out Cookies, Day 1

Ahh cut-out cookies.  The quintessential Christmas cookie.  I had to start my 12 Days of Chrismas Cookies list here.  Most of my friends and family members who bake cookies during the holiday season make these, especially the ones with little kids.  Decorating the cookies is the fun part!  The following recipe is one I got from my step mom a number of years ago, and it's by far my favorite cut-out cookie recipe.  I might be partial here, but I'm pretty sure it's the nutmeg.  ;-)

Preztel Salad

If you recognize this dessert by its photo but not its name I won't be surprised.  In all my years of attending picnics I have heard at least 4 different names for the epitome of summer desserts: pretzel salad, strawberry pretzel salad, pretzel squares, strawberry pretzel squares; and I'm sure the list goes on from there.  (I'm still not sure why we call it pretzel salad... there is really nothing salad-y about this dish.)  Ultimately what you call this dish doesn't really matter.  In fact, once you try it your mouth will be so full you won't be able to call it anything other than mmmm.

Pumpkin Muffins

Just in time for your Thanksgiving festivities I have for you an amazingly simple and delicious recipe for pumpkin muffins that are also quite versatile.  You can make them plain, with nuts, or with chocolate chips (as pictured above) or whatever else your heart desires (dried cranberries, anyone?)!

Apple Blackberry Pie - Pi Day 2011

Happy Pi Day once again!

Pi (3.14) is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, and it's a super important number to mathematicians and scientists alike.  Sometime in the 1980s people began baking pies to mark the occasion.   Most importantly, Pi Day is another reason to eat lots of yummy pies.  Here at ADON this is our third Pi Day celebration, but I've been involved in celebrations since I was in high school.

This year's pie is an apple blackberry pie, a recipe that originally came from delish.com, but I had to tweak it a bit, of course.

Kiwi Peach Rustic Tart

This summer I have been in the mood for some new and different fruit combinations.  It all started when I had a dessert at my favorite restaurant with strawberries and peaches in it.  I started to wonder what other fruits could be paired with peaches, and this rustic tart with kiwis and peaches in it is my favorite answer so far.

Dressed-up Angel Food Cake

This year was the first time I hosted Easter dinner for my family.  Sure, I've cooked big meals for my family before, but I've never hosted a holiday, so I was a little nervous.  Since we had church in the morning I knew I had to come up with some meal options that I could prepare ahead of time and then finish before dinner.  The dinner menu was easy.  We had twice-baked potatoes and salmon because they are favorites of my fiancee and I knew my family would love them too.  But it wasn't until I was wandering aimlessly around the grocery store that I figured out what to serve for dessert: angel food cake with an orange-mango filling and strawberry sauce.  I was worried that my relatives would poke fun at me for taking the easy way out, but it could not have been a more perfect springtime dessert and I only received compliments.

Lonely Chicago Pie - Pi Day 2010

I have finally found the camera so now I can show you my Pi Day 2010 creation, the Lonely Chicago Pie (which I feel I should warn you, is neither lonely nor Chicago-related.  But it is one hell of a yummy pie.)  The recipe for this pie comes from the movie Waitress, starring Keri Russell.  Much of the story takes place in a pie diner and to that end many many wonderful and creative pies are showcased.  

Strawberry Blueberry Turnovers

 

I hope that you've all been following me on Facebook and have been anxiously awaiting this post to see exactly what was up my sleeves with the mystery recipe featuring strawberries and blueberries!  Unfortunately you've had to wait a bit longer than planned because future Mr ADON and I are in the process of moving to the other side of our beautiful city and wouldn't you know it I can't find the camera, so I apologize for that, but I really think this recipe was worth the wait.

Without further ado, here's the recipe you've been waiting for!

Crescent Roll Baklava

If you haven't noticed yet by all of my dessert blogs here, dessert is by far and above my favorite part of a meal.  This week I am bringing you a super simplified version of baklava, my adaptation of Pillsbury's Quick Crescent Baklava.  If you ever wanted to make this at home but were too scared by what appears to be a complicated recipe then this is the baklava for you!  Not only does it take half the work of regular baklava, I think the flaky, buttery goodness of the crescent rolls adds a whole other layer of yummy!

Cappuccino Cheesecake

Last summer one of my closest friends got married, and a few weeks before the wedding I found out that she was going to be home alone during her fiancee's overnight bachelor party.  As one of her bridesmaids I couldn't let that happen, so I invited her over for an evening of girl talk and cappuccino cheesecake.

(Anybody who has been following this blog since its beginnings may remember some comments from a friend of mine asking for something with cappuccino in it.  Well this would be that friend.)

The recipe for this cheesecake can be found here.  As you can see from the picture I baked it just a tad bit too long, but that didn't seem to affect the taste at all.  The major hurdle for me was that this was my first baked-from-scratch cheesecake, and where the recipe tells you to "check for doneness by shaking gently," I was not very sure what I was looking for.

All in all this was still a very tasty recipe, and I'd encourage any of you to try it out.  As for me, I think I'll be sticking with my no-bake cheesecake recipes for the time being.

For the nutrition info and to see how to make some healthy substitutions for this recipe check out my note on Facebook here. 

Cheesecake

Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cake

A few months ago I was poking around my Google Reader and came upon a most delicious-looking recipe for applesauce cake over at Noble Pig. First, if you haven't read the blog before, go check it out. I'm not sure what's better, the story-telling, the recipes, or the wonderful photography. Seriously, that is the kind of blogger I aspire to be. But I digress.

I leave you to explore the Noble Pig's blog for the recipe. Even though the recipe came from scratch it was incredibly simple to put together. To illustrate, you'll use one bowl and no mixer. How simple is that? And look how yummy it looks when you cut into it:
I'm still not quite sure how this made it out of the house whole, but now that I've tried this once, I don't think I'll be so lucky the next time I make it.

For the nutrition info and to see how to make some healthy substitutions for this recipe check out my note on Facebook here.

Great Canadian Heinz Ketchup Cake

In honor of Canada Day (today, July 1) this week's recipe comes to us straight from the great white north. A few weeks ago my friend Stacie found this recipe for ketchup cake on Heinz Canada's website and I knew I just had to try it out. And I think if you wanted to throw some blueberries on top for decoration, this could totally work July Fourth celebrations, for those of us in the US.

Now before you get all worried about eating a cake with ketchup in it, don't. The recipe only calls for 1/2 cup of it, and includes cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, so you really can't taste the ketchup at all. It's really just another spice cake recipe with a wicked-tasty cream cheese frosting.

Mexican Ribbon Cookies

Happy Cinco de Mayo! In honor of the holiday I wanted to try out a cookie recipe with a little spice. These Mexican Ribbon Cookies were inspired by Betty Crocker's Crisp Chocolate-Espresso Ribbon Cookies. I made those cookies last week for a get together and they were really easy and tasty so I wanted to come up with some other variations.